Happy Birthday, Agitha!
by Scrapbastard
Summary: Agitha is throwing a party, and EVERYONE is invited! No really. Everyone. Every one in town. Will they show up? Let's hope so! Short, 10k fic to get me back in the swing of things. Friendship themes. Please give it a read if you have time.


**Hey guys... It's Scrap. Long time no see, huh? I guess I was gone for a while. Sorry. I got distracted by a lot of other tings. Nothing major happened, I just... lost interest for a while. It's unfortunate, I know. Anyway, that's no excuse. I let you guys down! I should be rigorously updating my stories. Oh well. I wrote this little number to get me back in the saddle. I just needed something short and sweet with my favorite character to help me return to writing. Rest Assured, The Sages Wait will be updated. I'll begin work on the next chapter very soon. I hope you can forgive my long absence, and thank you all again for reading.**

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The sun gleamed softly through the window of the castle, lighting the room and rousing a small girl from her sleep. She opened her eyes, just a crack, and sighed contentedly. Sitting up, she yawned and stretched, her small, dainty voice breaking the silence that had grown stagnant in the room. As she rose from her sleep, so did her dozens of house guests, all waking up to greet the morning with her.

It was a very special day for Agitha. She sat very still, warm and covered under the blankets of her bed. Breathing in deep, she took in the smell of the room. The smell of moist earth, fresh grass, warm tea, and, more than anything else, the sweet, homely scent of freshly baked cake.

She swung her legs out of bed and hopped off, feeling the relief of a good stretch. She made the bed just so, and looked down at herself. She was in her night gown, a simple, childish garb adorned with a cute butterfly pattern. Her feet were bear and pale against the cold stone floor. To remedy this, the child eased her feet into some slippers, and shuffled towards her vanity, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Agitha took a seat in front of a large mirror, judging her looks carefully. Her hair was down, and a bit bedraggled, her face was pale, and her smile was charming. Even her reflection seemed to greet her warmly on this most significant morning.

"You look so mature today, Agitha!" She said to reflection, giggling with delight.

"Why, thank you for noticing, Agitha!" She gave herself another wink and laughed. Then, humming a gentle tune, she began to brush the tangled from her hair. It was time to start the day.

A few minutes later, she had brushed all the knots out of her hair. It hung around her head in a long, wavy droop. She had incredibly thick hair, so thick it sometimes got in the way. So she chose to keep it up in pigtails, nice and away, where it wouldn't distract. That, and, of course, it was undeniably the cutest style. One day, she knew she would begin a trend, and the streets of castle town would be full of men and women, proudly displaying their adorable pigtails.

Feeling jovial, she skipped over to her wardrobe to choose an outfit for the day. It was a massive piece of furniture, adorned, of course, with insect patterns and nobs. It towered over her like a monolith. She swung its massive doors open and perused the options available to her. All stylish, frilly dresses with a lot of extra fluff and ruffles, just how she liked it. Agitha never wore a simple outfit. She enjoyed the refined, princess look of big, elaborate dresses. It was, after all, the only way a princess would dress, she thought.

"This will do for today." She said, nodding to herself and pulling an outfit out. Slipping out of her gown, she put on her usual garb. It was her favorite outfit, which is why she almost always chose to wear it over something else. "After all," she mused, "I need my guests to recognize me when they arrive! I look so mature now."

She put her night gown away, fastened the buckle on her shoes, put her hair up, and did the days make up.

Looking in the mirror, she beamed proudly. She looked great! She always took pride in her work. For a young girl, she was extraordinarily talented at making herself up. She always looked her best. After all, a princess must keep up appearances.

Of course, she never, ever dressed for someone else. She loved her subjects, but she wouldn't dare wear something she didn't like just to please them. No, Agitha made a point of dressing every morning in a way that made her happy. If others didn't approve, they'd just have to make due.

She hopped down from her seat in front of the vanity and walked gracefully through the castle. All of her subjects were awake and going about their morning routine, attending to all sorts of royal duties. The Honey Bee pollinated the flowers, the sleepy spider knitted beautiful patterns in the corner, and the cricket practiced with the royal orchestra. Everything was perfect.

She walked around the perimeter of the tree that erupted from the ground in the center of her castle, greeting her friends as she went. "Good morning Ms. Butterfly. Hello, Mr. Dragonfly! Oh and..." But before her next words could come out, something made her come to a dead halt.

She blinked in confusion, shifting her weight from foot to foot, anxiously. Her eyes shifted downward to the floor, then darted about the room, seeking assistance from the insects, who were far too busy to help. She was stuck. She knew that one day, this sort of thing would happen to her, but to have it happen today? This was tragic. It was abysmal. It put her in quite a compromising situation.

She pondered her next course of action. To interrupt would be terribly rude. To step over or around, even worse. She dared not try to hurry the process along, given the nature of the problem. But she had things to do, preparations to make. She couldn't waste a second waiting. There was a list a mile long of things that had to be done today. She tapped her foot impatiently, eager to get through this.

She looked down at the problem. There he was, right in front of her, trail of slime cutting a swath through her path, sluggish Mr. Snail. He inched along at the slowest pace, easing his way to the garden around the central tree. No doubt he was once again late for his appointments, Agitha thought to herself. Unfortunately, today he had found himself directly in the path of the princess herself, and he was interrupting her stroll.

She looked down at the slimy insect. She cared for it dearly, as she did with all her insect friends. But the snail in particular received more pity than any of her other subjects. Some had been blessed with swift legs, or sleek wings. Others were gifted with the ability to weave beautiful webs, or bound through the air in great leaps. The snail was given a shell, and little more. She felt so sorry for the poor thing, always having to strain to get anywhere. Ever struggling to keep up with the other bugs. Living a slimy lifestyle, not by choice, but by circumstance. It was then that she decided that if she could not step over the snail, and she could not hurry it along, she would simply have to assist it. It was the only thing to do, and what's more, it was the noblest course of action.

She crouched down closer to her friend, the poor mollusk. She smiled at him warmly, but the snail barely turned an eye stalk to acknowledge her. Instead he simply kept rushing down his path, frantic to get out of the way. No doubt it knew it was interrupting, Agitha thought, feeling sorry for the pitiable creature.

"Mr. Snail, my dear friend." Agitha began warmly, "thank you for trying so very hard. I know you're working to get to the garden." She gave a polite nod to the hard working creature. "If I may, I'd like to assist you in your efforts today." She lowered her dainty hand to the snail, who stopped in its tracks.

The bug, enveloped in his mucous, lowered an eye stock toward the hand, then up at her. It was a very slow, deliberate action on the Snail's part. Then, humbly accepting her offer, he bowed his eyes at her and slithered slowly onto her hand.

The creature's slime was sticky on her hand as she brought the snail over to the garden. No doubt it was the fastest he had ever travelled. Holding her hand out, she allowed the snail to lower itself down on to a leaf. It turned to her slowly and gave an acknowledging look of thanks, before turning and, probably, hurrying to its business. She waved at it as it went on its way, and stood to continue her morning.

Or she would have, but an unexpected visitor took her by surprise. Sir Stag Beetle, her trusted knight, had perched upon her shoulder to take a ride. She turned her head to it and frowned, wearily. The beetle didn't move, it simply lifted one of its many legs, and put it back down, in a sort of greeting.

"Sir Stag Beetle, did you get jealous of Mr. Snail?" She asked, accusing the beetle. "Well, I'm flattered that you want to accompany me, but you know that it cannot be. If I allow you to escort me, then I must be fair and allow everyone else to tag along as well. So I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to go along without me." She waved her hand at it dismissively. With that, the stag beetle opened its wing as if to take off, but simply remained stationary. After a brief time, it tucked its wing back in and remained.

"Well, I do appreciate your concern," Agitha responded, "but I'm hardly in danger in my own domain, am I? Really, you mustn't worry." She urged, but her mighty knight remained, ever vigilant. She looked around the room with fret. She didn't want to cause a schism in her court, and envy would do just that. She sighed, defeated, and held her arms out to her sides.

"Alright, if you insist, then I must be just and accommodate every one. If anyone else would like to escort me through the castle today, you are more than welcome to." And within a few brief moments, dozens of winged insects perched on her arm. There were butterflies and locusts and moths and a variety of other colorful little bugs eager to 'escort' her through the morning errands. Agitha thought it was a bit of a burden, but she was happy to accommodate. How could she complain in such a position? She was at her best when surrounded by bugs.

She turned, arms still spread, to a large tea table in the center of the room. It was covered in an elaborate, lace table cloth and adorned with nice porcelain place settings. In the center was a beautifully decorated cake waiting to be eaten. Nice little party favors and trinkets lay strewn about the table, and at the head, a large armchair waiting for a royal girl to be seated.

Yes, there would be a party in the castle today. A party for a special little girl, to celebrate her twelfth birthday. Indeed, as Agitha took in the sight, her smile grew until it seemed wider than her face. It was her birthday today, and she was promised herself it would be the happiest day of her life.

She walked to a small wood burning stove to put the kettle on for tea. She needed plenty for her guests, who would hopefully be arriving shortly. But she realized that her errands would be a bit difficult with so many of her subjects hitching a ride on her arms. They squirmed and crawled about, even taking the time to hold conversation with one another, all under the watchful gaze of Sir Stag Beetle. She didn't want to kick them off, but she had little choice. She couldn't risk them falling in the tea and drowning, or falling off and hurting themselves, and she simply couldn't prepare the party while they sat, basking in the free travel she provided.

"Okay, everyone, that's enough." The young monarch said as she gave her arms a light shake. They were quite tired from being held out so long, so the motion was quite a welcome relief. "I must attend to some things, and I simply cannot have you all here while I work. Not to say any of you are unwelcome, and certainly, I've enjoyed the walk, but it's time that we part ways." With that, the bugs, understanding, lifted off and fluttered back to their preferred places in the castle. All except for the Stag Beetle, who instead fluttered up to land on the top of her head.

"Well!" Agitha huffed, lowering her arms to relieve the soreness. "I do hope you're nice and cozy up there, Sir Stag Beetle! Honestly, taking a perch upon my head? So uncouth!" She shook her head violently, whipping her pig tails back and forth, but the bug remained, unperturbed. Agitha groaned in frustration. If there was one thing Sir Stag Beetle was besides a good knights, it was a stubborn companion.

"If you must, you may stay, but try to keep out of the way, okay? And please, try not to disturb my hair. I have to look perfect today." With that, she put the kettle on the burner and went to clean up a mess left over from the night before.

The cake and various pastries around the table had all been lovingly crafted the night before. She stayed up late in to the night, baking and frosting, despite having only a small oven to work with. It took far longer than she hoped, and made a colossal mess, which now had to be attended to. The Princess would not hold a party in a messy castle.

She wiped some flour from the wall and sighed. "You could be helping, you know." She said, somewhat directly to her trusted friend, who sat comfortably on her head. The bug jumped up from his post and fluttered down to the table, nudging a piece of left over dough with its horn. When that effort didn't amount to anything, it fluttered back to the top of her head.

"Oh, I see. You'd rather keep watch. Very noble of you." Agitha said as she rolled her eyes. She had always understood the thinking of insects, and they had always understood her. She could tell a bug to do something, and it would carry out the order diligently. She had been this way since she was a small girl, and had always assumed it was totally normal. Of course, she later learned that it was not a talent most people exhibited, and that was when she decided that she must have been the princess of bugs. And not once did she look back. She loved bugs, and she loved leading them. From a young age, she vowed to be a strong and just leader to them, as she was no doubt meant to be.

When the mess had at last been scrubbed clean, she raised a gloved hand to the beetle on her head, which hopped on without hesitation. Lowering her Knight to her face, she spoke a direct order. "Guard the entrance, if you please." She commanded. The beetle took off and sat lazily by the front door, guarding from potential intruders. Agitha knew no one unwanted would be coming in today, she mostly just wanted the bug off her head so she could focus.

She felt relieved to be free of the distraction. Her favorite thing to do was to gallivant about the castle with her insect companions. Together, they'd play childish games of hide and seek or tag, or she'd sit down to read a book to the whole kingdom. But that wouldn't be happening today. She had far too much to do to make games and jokes with her insect friends.

After an hour more of cleaning and preparing, he Castle was looking fully ready. Satisfied with her work, she took a seat in the old arm chair at the head of her table, waiting patiently for her guests to arrive. Her myriad of insect subjects were invited, of course, but they weren't the only ones to receive an invitation. After all, it was her birthday, and she was a princess, so of course, all of Castle Town was invited.

It had been a week prior, on a sunny day that she skipped around Castle Town, handing out her gorgeous, hand written invitations. They read quite clearly:

_Rejoice! Agitha, Royal Princess of Insects has cordially invited you to her twelfth birthday party! Be in attendance one week from today, the fifth, for cake, tea, and jubilations. Join Agitha and her collection of Insects in a dance or a simple chat!_

_Where: Agitha's Castle, Castletown_

_When: All Day, the Twelfth of the Month_

_(Gifts encouraged.)_

These were the words every citizen read. From the strange man at the Star Game tent, to the lovely woman at the bar, all were invited to celebrate the most joyous occasion. She knew, without a doubt, just receiving an invitation brought great joy to all the good people of the town. She expected each and every citizen to be in attendance. People bearing gifts would fill the castle, pour out the door, and line up all through the streets. It was her dream day.

She had never held a party for herself before. Not that she didn't want to, but until recently, she didn't have much experience hosting grand occasions. Her first attempt had been a tea party she held for all the golden bugs of the world, but it was a disaster. If it hasn't been for the actions of one brave knight, the party never would have happened. Since then, she had learned much about social gatherings, mostly through old dusty tomes she had checked out from the library. She poured through etiquette books and how-to guides and even one particularly charming picture book called "My First Birthday". She memorized every word. She was ready now.

Of course, she wanted to invite the Princess of Hyrule as an honored guest. Two Princess under one roof would make the party a real occasion. Unfortunately, there was a guard at the castle gate that was exceptionally rude. Not only did he refuse to grant the bug princess access to the castle, but he even had the nerve to scoff at her when she directly informed him of her regal position as a Princess. Agitha's temper welled up inside her when she remembered that dolt. She was determined to invite the princess that day, however, so she simply gave the guard a handful of invitations to pass around to the nobility. She did not invite the guard, however. He would be turned away should he rear his unpleasant visage. That would show him, she thought, maliciously. The whole town in attendance and he could only watch from afar. Serves him right.

And of course, she invited her dear friend Link. In fact, she invited him first. Weeks in advance, at that. He, being an honorary knight of her kingdom, was expected to attend as part of his royal duties. He was a close friend as well, however, so Agitha promised him some cake while he stood guard and contained the ruckus. Link simply smiled when he heard that, and gave her a reassuring nod.

So she had invited everyone she could, and now she anxiously awaited their arrival. It had been a good while since she sat down, now, and yet not one person had arrived. She could understand their late arrival, no one wanted to be the first to arrive at a party. Still, as the minutes ticked on, she grew a bit impatient. She tapped her fingers on the table and hummed a tune to herself to pass the time. Looking around the table, all of the insects were in their places, ready to entertain the guests that arrived. They were part of her court, after all, and while they were technically invited to the party, they were mostly there to support the princess. Agitha noticed her petit friend, Ms. Ant, march eagerly towards the cake in the center. She shot her a suspicious glance, and the ant halted in her tracks. There would be no eating until all the guests had arrived.

An hour in, Agitha's stomach began to growl. It was around noon now, time for lunch, but Agitha hadn't even had breakfast! She was saving her appetite for the party. She wondered if she had made a mistake on the invitation. An error would certainly explain the lack of guests. Hopping off her enormous chair, she went to the shelf and picked up a spare invitation, giving it a once over. No mistakes. Perfectly printed. She pursed her lips at that. Part of her wished she had made a mistake. That way, at least she would know why no one had arrived. She walked gracefully back to her chair, picking up a party hat on the way and playfully placing it on her head. It wouldn't be long now, she assured herself. It couldn't be.

Another half an hour passed uneventfully. Agitha was beginning to worry. She looked around the room, inspecting every corner. Everything was perfect and clean, just how she wanted it. She had nothing to fix or tidy, and she was quickly growing bored. She fiddled with the end of her pig tails as she waited. Gazing to her small guests, she noticed Mr. Moth fluttering around a candle, pulled in by the enchanting light. "Mr. Moth, remember what happened last time." She warned. The moth flew back to the table and landed near her. She held out a finger for it to crawl upon.

The boredom of waiting was starting to make her lethargic. She stretched and yawned in her chair. When she sat all the way back in it, her feet only barely hung off. It was fit for a king, and it was very comfortable. Perhaps the most comfortable chair in the whole of Castle Town. She found herself beginning to nod off a bit. She let it happen. She had been up rather late last night, so a quick nap would do her good. She would be sure to wake up by the time the guests arrived, which would surely be any minute now. Her head drooped, her eyes shut, and she drifted off to a gentle sleep.

In her dreams, Agitha saw herself, riding on the back of a humongous butterfly, as it lead a parade of insects through Castle Town. Through the streets, people made way for her as she rose her way toward her castle. She was showered from the side lines with gifts and treats, and when, at last, she arrived at her domain, she opened the door to reveal an enormous ball room. She was carried by her insect comrades to the end of the room, to a throne. One by one, guests from all about Castle Town filed in and filled the room expectantly. Link was there, heading her orchestra in his funny Grass Hopper get up. He nodded at her and readied the band, which began to play. It was a funny sounding song. Only the percussion played, three hollow sounding drumbeats.

Everyone in the hall was confused, Agitha included. The three drum beats continued until, a last, Link himself turned around, cupping his hands to his lips.

"Hello?" He yelled, filling the room with his voice. Agitha was jostled awake by such a loud voice. She found that she was still sitting in her chair. Nothing had changed in the room. But the banging from the dream persisted. It took her a few minutes to realize that banging was but a knock at the door.

"Oh! Just a moment!" She called out as she leapt from her chair. She collapsed upon landing on her feet, which seemed to have fallen asleep along with her.

"Ow!" She exclaimed as she hit the ground. The tingling in her legs made her writhe uncomfortably, until at last she was able to struggle to her feet. "Just a moment longer, I'm almost there!" She repeated as she stumbled toward the door.

Grabbing the knob, the young princess swung the door open to greet her legions of guests. She expected a least forty people to show up as the first guests, with at least one presents each. Some of them might have brought two, however, so she expected anywhere from fifty to sixty gifts from the first batch. But as she took in the sight from outside, the smile vanished from her face. There was only one person there. Her good friend Link, standing there awkwardly, looking concerned, sloppily wrapped gift in his hands. He waved and smiled, but Agitha didn't return his greeting. Instead she stared curiously at him, then, leaning out of the door, she peered down either side of the street. Link took a few steps back apprehensively as she stuck her head out of the door frame. There were other people, of course, but they all went about their business like they weren't even aware of her party.

She squinted at a woman down the way when they made accidental eye contact. The woman looked about, searching for a reason she might be stared at, then back to Agitha. She waved awkwardly and then went about her business, sweeping a nearby shop entrance. Agitha kept her sour leer trained on the woman, who she knew for certain must have received an invitation. So why would she be sweeping, unless she was ignoring the party? Irritated, she then turned to welcome Link.

"Good afternoon Sir Link. You're fashionably late!" She forced a wry smile as she pretended not to mind. "Do come in, won't you?"

Link stepped into the castle after Agitha, looking around neutrally. Agitha walked back to her place at the table and took her seat again, waiting for the other guests to arrive. Link put the gift he brought on the table and took a seat as well.

"Just... Me so far? You said you invited a lot of people." Link asked, concerned. He looked about the room as he spoke, taking in the various party decorations. It was an impressive display, streamers and brightly colored cloth hung from walls, and he even spotted handmade, though crude, party games. He decided he would pass on "pin the thorax to the dragonfly" for now.

Agitha sighed and folded her hands sweetly on the table and smiled her debonair smile. She was already quite annoyed at the rest of the guests for being so very, inexcusably late, Link included. "Seems that way, Sir Link. Don't fret, however, I'm sure the others will be along shortly." She said innocently, though she wasn't totally confident that that was true. "But at least with you here, I have all my personal friends in attendance."

"All your friends?" Link echoed, his voice dripping with trepidation. He scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, upsetting his hat.

Agitha gave him a nod. "All of my friends! You, of course, and all my loyal insect subjects!" She said innocently, gesturing to her tree in the center of the room. As she did, a mayfly landed on her hand. She greeted it and held a brief conversation.

Link stirred uneasily in his seat. "So, who did you invite if..." He hesitated, weighing the value of his question. "If all your friends are already here?"

"Everyone in Castletown, of course!" She grinned innocently but it shortly faded away from her face. "Even The Princess herself. I'm particularly excited to meet her, I've never met another princess before!"

Link grimaced and bit his lip in worry. He knew Zelda would never attend, she was far too busy. And something told him no one else would either. The people of Castle Town were as friendly as anyone else, but that didn't mean they would jump at the chance to attend some strange twelve year old's birthday. After all, Agitha was a bit of a recluse, she scarcely left her house, unless it was to pick up groceries or go bug catching. Link doubted if anyone in town even really knew her name.

"What time is it, Link?" Agitha asked, snapping Link back to attention. She wondered how long she had dozed off. That, and she wanted to speak to a human for once. She so rarely had human company, and she found herself longing for some unique interaction.

"About two o'clock, I think." Link answered indifferently. Agitha frowned. She was asleep for a full hour and a half and no one came during that entire time. Or perhaps, someone did, and she slept through their arrival! Perhaps they knocked, and she didn't answer, so they left! Agitha's mind filled with terrible scenarios the many ways she might have missed a guest. She hopped off her chair and walked briskly to the door and propped it open. The ever vigilant stag beetle, still guarding his post, adjusted itself to the draft.

"I want the people to know the party is here, Link. Wouldn't want them to get lost, after all." Agitha stated as a breeze from outside blew in and ruffled her bangs. Link nodded to appease her turned hesitantly back to the table.

Agitha stood at the door for a while longer, peering out into the street. One or two people passed by and Agitha readied a welcome, but they simply hurried along, unassuming. The young princess shuffled uncomfortably as a sense of dread grew inside of her. She dared not entertain the possibly that no guests would arrive. As Agitha stood there, gazing out to the street, she felt herself beginning to grow frantic and worried.

"So who made this cake? Looks delicious." Link said, breaking an uncomfortable silence. Agitha was still standing at the door, peering out, when she answered. His question brought her out of the daze and back to the matter of the party. After all, Link had arrived, and even though he was only meant to guard the place, she supposed at this point he could be considered a guest. Which meant the party had officially begun, for better or worse.

"I did, of course. I spent all night making it just so. Isn't it perfect?" She asked as she skipped back over to the table. Her mouth watered as she eyed the cake, which looked more scrumptious than ever. Agitha was famished after skipping breakfast. "It's got lemon and vanilla and strawberry and even a bit of honey. It's sweeter than anything!"

Link raised an eyebrow at the luxuriant confection. "You made it? Then it probably is sweeter than anything," stated, recalling the way she took her tea, gobs of sugar and honey included, "Who bought all the ingredients, then? Your par..." Link's eyes widened as he caught his words. That was the very first time he had ever made that mistake, and he prayed that the girl didn't pick up on it.

Agitha's gaze moved from the cake to the young Hylian sitting at the table. He didn't make eye contact. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at him crossly. "No, Sir Link, I bought all the ingredients. Not my parents, but me. You know I have money to take care of myself, I really don't need parents."

Link nearly responded, but he swallowed his words. That was the first time Agitha had ever spoken about her parents in front of him, and it clearly made for touchy subject matter. Still, he felt he should say something, so as not to leave an uncomfortable silence.

"Yes." Was all he could come up with. With that, Agitha returned to her seat. She didn't speak again on the subject, but Link could tell the topic was still looming over the table by the way Agitha's tiny eyebrow's slanted.

"I..." He began, searching for something to fill the silence. His eyes passed over his gift to Agitha, a small, poorly wrapped parcel with a card attached. He slid it across the table, closer to the birthday girl. "This is for you, from me. Uh... you can open it, if you want."

"After cake." The girl said, pouting and folding her arms. It was becoming apparent that certain invited guests were not going to attend. At this point, she would consider herself fortunate to see even half of Castle Town's populace in attendance, let alone the Princess. She couldn't fathom how rude some of those people must be to simply ignore a written invitation from a princess.

"Why don't we eat then? You look hungry." He smiled, uncertain.

"Not before the guests arrive." Agitha drummed her fingers impatiently. She caught herself beginning to act less demure, less like a princess, so she quickly folded her hands on her lap and forced a smile. "They'll be here any minute."

Agitha and Link sat together for several minutes, without talking. To Agitha, a few short, silent moments seemed to drag on for an eternity. This was not how she imagined her party to be. By now, there should be people flooding out of the house, each dressed in fancy clothes, a smile on every face. Instead, she sat in an empty room, with a sweaty knight who dressed like a bug, and only wore a look of indifference. She gave her attending friend the eye.

He sat there, eying passing insects with mild interest. Agitha thought he looked dumb. In fact, Agitha thought he was dumb. How dare he show up in rags like a commoner to a princess party! He scratched his nose and Agitha scoffed, pulling his attention to her. Just like him to behave so unrefined at a formal occasion. He flashed a smile when they made eye contact. Another undeniably annoying trait of his. Always friendly and happy to be there. Happy to help. Happy to just sit, even when no one else would.

Agitha's scowl loosened into a look of indifference. He was so reliable. He didn't care, even for a fifteen year old boy, he wasn't afraid to attend tea parties with little girl princesses, or to romp in the flowers. He always treated her with respect. And most importantly, he cared. He cared enough to come see her, even though no one else did. She considered all the people who never cared about her. At this very moment, to her, it seemed no one else in Castle Town really cared about Agitha but Link. Only Link, whose messy hair and quiet demeanor hid a gallant knight and loyal friend. She was so happy to have him there. She scrambled off her chair awkwardly, nearly tripping, and ran childishly to Link's side.

"Link, I need you to stand up please," she said as Link, bemused, rose to his feet. "Link, I'm going to give you a hug and it's going to be messy. I might not appear as much like a princess as I usually do. Are you ready for that?" She asked seriously. Very few people got to see the side of her she was about to display.

Link's face broke into a grin and he gave a breathy chuckle. Then, still absolutely confused, he nodded in confirmation.

"Good." And with that, Agitha fell into Link, wrapping her small arms around his torso. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as Link, somewhat awkwardly, patted her on the head.

"You're my only friend, Link!" Agitha sobbed as the tears streamed from her eyes. "No one else wanted to come to my party. No one else brought presents. No one even stopped by! I'm a princess!" Agitha screamed, bawling like a baby.

Link sighed as he was reminded of just how much of a child Agitha still was. After all, she was only twelve now. She could act so sweet and refined, but after all was said and done, she still had the heart and soul of a young girl.

"I'm a princess, I'm a princess, I'm a princess!" Agitha repeated as she fell with thud to her rump. She rubbed the tears from her eyes, causing her make up to run. Seeing this, she only got more upset. Angrily, she wrenched the smeared glove off of her hand and threw it across the room, nearly hitting an innocent ladybug.

Link was at a loss. He had dealt with children before, of course, the young ones in his home village were prone to outbursts and disputes, and Link would often be the one to mediate. But he had never dealt with this child. He had no idea what could make her feel better, short of an appearance by the Princess or the entire town.

"I'm so stupid!" Agitha moaned bitterly. Bugs had now gathered around her to offer their support. She shooed them away if they got to close. She was in no mood for company. "I can't believe I invited Princess Zelda! Could you imagine if she came now, only to see me in such a state! As if she'd even attend! No one wants to attend Agitha's parties!" She kicked and screamed and threw a tantrum. It was all a bit embarrassing to Link, who had never seen his friend act so immaturely.

Slowly, he edged towards the door to close it. Agitha's gaze shot up at him and seemed to pierce him like a thousand needles. "You're leaving? Fine! I suppose you think my party is boring too!" With that, she fell on her back and rolled over onto her side, weeping gently. She fiddled with a nearby spider with her still gloved hand.

Link's brow furrowed as he stared at the lump on the floor that had once proudly called itself a princess. This had gone beyond childish tantrum and had becoming a bratty display. It was annoying. The sympathy he had felt just moments ago gave way to mild irritation as the young girl displayed just how terribly rude she could be. Still, she was his friend. Link had to support her. After all, everyone had off days. Days they weren't quite feeling or acting like they're usual self. Link had plenty of those.

"Relax, Agitha," he reassured, "I'm just closing the door. The party is closed now, okay?" Agitha nodded slowly without turning to face him. He heard her sniffle and mutter something, but he couldn't make out what. It was probably just a bitter remark to the spider, anyway, he figured. He took a seat next to her on the hard ground.

"This isn't very comfortable." He said shyly. She didn't respond. He looked down at her, but she hid her face with her hand. Link swallowed and thought of a different approach. Words had never been his strong point.

"Want some cake?" He offered quietly. Agitha said nothing for a few moments, and Link almost gave up on trying to assist her. He wanted to help, to cheer her up, but she'd have to cooperate, and it didn't seem like she was willing to do that.

Then, after some hesitation, Agitha sat up, staring at her cake, sitting proudly like a tower in the center of the tea table. Her stomach growled audibly, a sign of her wild desire for sustenance. She tapped her heel on the ground, and then, with out taking her eyes of the cake, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Yes. Cake. I want my cake." She said. "Please, cut the cake, Sir Link." Link got to his feet and stepped over to the cake, taking hold of a large knife. Meanwhile, Agitha kicked off her shoes and crawled up on to her chair, a much more comfortable perch than the stone ground. All varieties of insect followed, perching on the chair and even on her. She didn't mind. She sniffled and watched Link as he cut a fair piece off of the cake and slid it on to a plate. She cleared her throat, catching Link's attention.

"A larger piece, please." She said stoically. "I want a whole lot of cake." Link looked at her, then to the cake, then back. He nodded and cut a sizable chunk from the confection. He plopped it on to a plate and slid it over to her. She took her dessert fork and, with almost surgeon like precision, began cutting smaller pieces off to eat.

Link smiled. At least she was almost acting like her old self again. She was still a bit moody, but this was a start. He cut some cake off for himself and took a seat next to her. Agitha put down her fork and watched him expectantly.

"Go on, try it." She urged with a faint smile, the smear on her face distracting from her regal air. Link stared back at her and, hesitantly, took a greedily large bite from the slice of cake. It was unimaginably sweet. Sweeter than anything he had ever tasted before. It almost made him gag. It tasted like strawberries, coated in cream, and then dipped in honey. It was almost mind numbing.

"Delicious! Very..." He smiled, forcing himself to swallow and disguise his revulsion "Very spongy." Agitha smiled with relief and clapped her hands. Link smiled back. That was the Agitha he knew. Sweet, and kind. Almost as sweet as the cake.

"I was so worried no one would like it." She sighed. "After I worked so hard on it, it would be a shame if it went to waste. Help yourself, Sir Link." She insisted dreamily, as she ate her own slice. She smiled, cheeks rosy as she ate the celebratory meal.

"I wish everyone I invited could taste this." She bitterly hissed. "Then again, everyone I invited is a fool. Excluding you, of course. And Princess Zelda. Everyone else is simply intolerable. If they were to come to my door now, I would turn them away!" Agitha growled and waved her hand to ward an imaginary, unwelcome party goer. "Do you think they even know I'm royalty?"

"Probably not" Link answered between reluctant chews. He didn't know how they would, given the young girl's reclusive nature, but he humored her none the less.

"Hm." She put down her fork and placed a finger on her chin in thought. "Then I suppose they can be forgiven. After all, ignorance can't be helped."

Link didn't respond. He was a klutz when it came to speaking, and the wrong word could set the girl off again. After the silence had sunk in for a while, he heard Agitha speak again.

"I love cake." She said with a mouthful of dessert. "I think I want to be the kind of Princess who eats cake every day!" She said, taking a moment to swallow.

"Mhm..." Link replied, absentmindedly. His full attention was devoted to the stomaching the cake that lay in front of him.

"You too?" Agitha asked, a sudden excitement filling her voice and making her sound more like her usual self.

Link snapped to attention and suddenly realized just what he had replied to. His cheeks flushed red as he smiled and turned to face the young girl next to him.

"Absolutely, yes." He replied. He figured there was no harm in playing along

"You would make a perfect princess, Sir Link." Agitha said with a girlish giggle. "You could be the Princess of Knights. Or the Princess of Green!" Agitha bounced in her seat excitedly as she listed the various things that Link would make a good princess of. Link smiled and, bemused, gave a sigh. Then, rubbing his chin, he offered his own ideas to the list.

"I think I would be a good Princess of Courage." He stated plainly. Agitha mulled the idea over in her head for a few moments before nodding enthusiastically. Link was never that complicated, he knew just what he was good at. He, more than anyone else, displayed the virtue of Courage, and that fact made him proud to no end. He wasn't just a courageous youth, he embodied courage. He was bravery given flesh. And since there was already a princess of Wisdom, he saw little reason why there shouldn't be a princess of courage.

"That's settled then." Link said with a warm smile. "I'll add that to the list of titles. They'll introduce me as a princess at the next meeting of the guards." And with that, the two friends shared a hearty laugh for the first time that day.

After spending a short time eating, Agitha set down her fork and dish on table. She then carefully moved her eager gaze over to the small parcel sitting near Link on the table. The time had come for presents, but she didn't want to seem rude or impatient and bring it up directly. The green clad youth must have taken notice, because he slid it closer to her.

It was wrapped, somewhat poorly, in plain brown paper and it came with a small, handwritten card. Link had atrocious penmanship, but Agitha could make out the common place birthday wishes, along with a sloppy doodle of the insect princess herself. It even had his signature, which was the only neatly written part of the card. He had clearly practiced it.

"Thank you, Link. You didn't need to bring anything." She sighed. "After all, you brought me all my wonderful insect friends! What more could I want?" she fibbed. She did have material desires, of course, but a princess never made them known. Besides, she would be eternally grateful to Link for delivering the golden bugs for her tea party a year or so back. Not only did the insects themselves become great friends to Agitha, but the quest to deliver them had led to Link becoming the young girl's first and only human friend.

Link shrugged and looked down at his gift to her. It was modest, small, and unimpressive. He didn't actually know what to get her, even after hours of searching. He thought, perhaps, some insect themed accessory, a pendant or something like it, but she already had a great number of those. When that failed, he thought about catching her a rare bug, but he knew nothing of insects, save for the ones that glowed golden. Then he considered a good book on insects, an encyclopedia maybe. But Agitha had already chronicled and memorized every fact about bugs there was to know, he had no doubt she already owned a collection of books on the topic.

He wanted the gift to be meaningful. Something perfect. He gave all his friends such gifts. For Zelda, on her birthday, he snuck her out of the castle for a slice of life outside of her usual walls. He would have been arrested if her royal highness had not pardoned him. That was quite a day.

For Ilia, he took her out riding. She always had a fascination with horses, but she had never ridden one before. The only horse she knew was Epona, and Epona would not allow anyone to ride but Link. That day, however was an exception. It took a lot of careful, slow training, but eventually, Link's loyal steed did allow Ilia to ride.

But for Agitha? He was clueless. For someone as one-of-a-kind as her, a gift couldn't be found on display in any store or market booth. It would have to be made by hand. But Link had never been particularly creative. He didn't have much talent for art, so a painting was out of the question. He hardly spoke, let alone wrote, so a poem written by him would be a verbal catastrophe. In his younger years, he made himself a wooden sword for play, but it was little more than a carved stick and some cloth. Hardly a gift fit for a princess.

But he could whittle. He made his own wooden sword from carving a branch into something more manageable, and since that day, he'd practiced in his spare time. It was a country talent, one someone from the city would never display. It came from the sleepy, sunny afternoons that dragged on in Ordon. With nothing to do, Link would carve a way at a bit of wood or a stick. He found time to practice during his quest to save Hyrule, as well, during long nights where he'd have to camp out in the field or dessert. Midna, his companion at the time, teased him for displaying such a banal interest, but he didn't mind. She teased him for everything, and he wouldn't have had it any other way. He'd gotten pretty good at whittling over years of practice. The children of Ordon would beg him to carve a sword or a slingshot or even a doll for them. He hardly ever obliged, he mostly just carved little animals to decorate his home. Indeed, he was boring.

Agitha reached for the gift and slowly unwrapped it, careful not to act out of character again. She was eager, as any young girl would be, to unwrap her only present of the day. But it would be rude to look frantic, so she remained calm.

When at last, she finished her meticulous unwrapping, before her lay a small wooden box. It was totally featureless in every way. Confused, she looked up a Link.

"Open it!" Link insisted. So she did. She lifted the lid and inside was a small, hand carved statuette. She removed it from its wooden confines very slowly and carefully. It was expertly carved in the shape little girl, parasol in hand. She had a bright smile on her face, and little wooden insects crawled all around her feet.

"It's me!" Agitha exclaimed, inspecting every last detail of the statuette. Not only was it carved with amazing detail, it was hand painted as well. Everything about it was exquisitely carved with care. "Link, did you make this?"

"Well, I carved it," The young man began, "but I had a friend paint it. I'm not very good at that part." He confessed, blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh!" Agitha squeaked. "Look! The ladybug has five spots just like you, Ms. Ladybug!" clearly missing what Link had said as she lowered a small red insect down to the carving on her finger.

"Old Mr. Snail is in the back there, because he's so slow!" She chuckled to herself. "And Sir Stag Beetle has taken up watch right beside me. Oh, it's so detailed! Perfect!"

Link sighed in relief. He wasn't certain she would like it. She was a refined girl, and his gift was so simple and plain. Now he could rest a bit easier.

Agitha continued examining the statue for some time, pointing out all the details to her small friends perched nearby. She bounced excitedly in her seat.

"Where should I display this?" She asked Link as she hopped off her seat. Link shrugged once more. "Oh, what's the use of asking you, you big mute?" She chuckled to herself. Then she placed the gift very delicately on the table near her bed. Then she sat there for a bit just to admire it.

"Oh, it's very lovely." Agitha said, yawning. Staying up late the night before had caught up with her, and she was beginning to feel sluggish. She felt a good stretch and made her way back to Link, still sitting, picking at his cake with his fork.

"That made me feel better, I suppose." She took a seat and yawned again. "Thank you, Sir Link." With that, she ate the rest of the cake on her plate, and urged Link to do the same.

"Listen, Agitha," Link began hesitantly. He wasn't really sure he wanted to press the issue with her, and risk making her more upset. "I'm sorry your party wasn't how you wanted it to be. I wish things had gone a bit different. But you were totally out of control earlier. You alright?" Link asked, hesitantly. He didn't want to point out her flaws today of all days, but the matter was worth bringing up.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said sleepily. "I just have a bit of a temper sometimes. Most unladylike of me, I'm aware. Sir Link," she smiled sincerely, "it's a matter every princess must learn to address."

"Speaking of!" Agitha chirped. "I wonder if Princess Zelda ever got my invitation. I know she's very busy, but I hope she at least saw it. It was hand written!

"How did you get it to her?" Link questioned, curious. He knew that she would never be allowed inside the walls of the castle, so how exactly she delivered this supposed invitation was a mystery.

"I gave it to the guard at the gate, of course!" She stated matter-of-factly, "Who else would I give it to?"

Link groaned and hung his head. He knew that guard. The two did not always see eye to eye, and in fact, they rarely spoke. The guard had an ill temperament, and even a sarcastic air. If Agitha gave anything to him for the Princess, it was no doubt lying at the bottom of a trash bin.

Something seemed unfair about that. Any chance Agitha had of meeting another princess was completely trashed by some guard with a complex. He knew Zelda would never attend, even if the invitation had reached her, but at least she would have seen it. She would be aware.

Zelda was a fickle person. Exactly how she spent her time changed from day to day. She was hard to please. She spent much of her time attending to the kingdom, but she did have time to address personal matters. Perhaps the invitation would have gotten her attention after all! Link couldn't say for certain, but he knew there was always a chance.

"Link?" Agitha called as Link lost himself in his thoughts. Link was pulled from his quandaries and looked toward the young lady, a concerned look on her face.

"Yes, I'm here, I'm here." Link reassured, recognizing her worried look.

"Good!" Agitha said, relieved. "For a moment there, I thought I'd lost you again!" She smiled and gave him a happy pat on the arm.

"I don't think that'll ever happen again, Agitha. Thankfully." He sighed, recalling the out of body experience he had not so long ago in Agitha's domain. A sudden rush of memory from past lives had permanently altered the way he perceived time and space. It was almost he end of him, but he held on by sheer force of will, and of course, a little help from the princess.

"Agitha," he began, slowly, "What if I... Brought a slice of cake to Princess Zelda? Maybe later today, after the party." Link mused. He wasn't amazed at the idea, but it would please Agitha, and really that's all he cared about.

Perhaps it was because it was her birthday, but Link felt a need to make this day worth something to Agitha. After all, what else was a friend for? He never wanted any less than the best for those he called friends. He had proven it time and again throughout his journeys, and today would be no exception.

Princess Zelda, refined and elegant, had been a good friend of Link's since his journey to stop the spread of corruption that threatened to swallow Hyrule. She played an integral part, not only protecting Hyrule, but ultimately, saving it. Without her, there would be no kingdom. Only a twisted dark shadow of what once was. Since that day, he often visited the castle. She was one of her most trusted advisors, and for good reason. Link had travelled to every corner of Hyrule, and had made allies across the land. He knew the concerns of every citizen, every race. Together, Zelda and Link were an unstoppable force of change.

Still, bringing this cake, a veritable mountain of sugar and icing, before the Princess wouldn't solve anything. She was raised on a refined diet, befitting of royalty. She dined on delicacies that fostered an appreciation and understanding of the finer points of the culinary arts. The desserts she dined on were small, delectable treats, designed to taunt the taste buds and bring out a number of distinct, different flavors. Her palette was refined, in a different stratum than Agitha's.

Agitha was a little girl with no parents to tell her no. She took care of herself well enough, but children are children, and children like sweets. Over the years, with no adult monitoring her diet, she had grown a set of insatiable sweet teeth. She snacked on cakes and cookies and candy, and when she wasn't doing that, she dined on tea sandwiches and soups and other simplistic meals. Bringing an Agitha made cake to Princess Zelda would only serve to rot royal teeth.

Still, what else could Link do? Of course Zelda wouldn't like it, but Agitha didn't need to know that. She only needed to know that another Princess somewhere knew her name. That alone would make her happy. It would stay with her for a life time, and whenever she was sad she would always come back to that fact. For Agitha's sake, he would deliver this confection to the royal dinner table.

Agitha's eyes lit up in what can only be described as unbridled jubilance. She gasped as a big, silly smile spread across her face. Hopping up and down on her chair, she grabbed Links arm excitedly and gave a shrill shriek. It didn't seem like she could even get any words out. Then, collecting herself, she took a moment to organize her words.

"You would do that for me? Really?" She laughed and hopped off her chair, skipping over to cut a slice of cake off for Zelda. "Oh, she'll love it! I know it! Every princess adores cake!" Agitha smiled as she cut a large slice off of the cake, in case the princess wanted a lot, and placed it neatly on a cute little butterfly dish.

"Listen, Agitha," Link began, hesitantly. He was glad to see the miniature monarch looking so pleased, but he didn't want to build her up too much, only to have her be heartbroken and disappointed later on. "Don't expect too much. She's a very busy person. I'll make sure she tries it, but I can't promise she'll throw a parade or anything."

"Oh," Agitha stopped what she was doing, and for the briefest of moments, her smile became less exuberant. But it quickly returned. "Oh, no, I know that, Sir Link! There's no need to tell me that. Just as long as you come back and tell me how much she liked it!"

Link just laughed and nodded. But when the cake was presented to him, he was taken aback. "Now? Shouldn't we wait until after the party? There's uh… Pin the thorax on the dragonfly left to play, and uh… some other things." Link inquired. He didn't want to end the party early for this, after all, he wanted Agitha to have a good time.

The princess just smiled at him tenderly and yawned. She set the cake in front of him and shook her head. Link understood. There was no party to be had here. Just two friends having a good time, and that was something that could be had any day of the week.

"I've had a wonderful birthday, Sir Link, all thanks to you. But the party was over a long time ago." She yawned again, giving a stretch that attracted a nearby butterfly to land on her arm. "I think I'd rather spend a day with my close friends, with you, than with all of the people of Castle Town. A day with you is worth more than any present I could ever receive." She grinned earnestly and Link smiled back, blushing. It wasn't often he received such kind words, so heartfelt and honestly.

"I'd like to continue, and I'll certainly leave Pin the Thorax up for another day, but I'm… I'm afraid I'm too tired to continue. I didn't know staying up so late would be so tiring!" She yawned again, stretched, and put a drowsy hand on Link's arm. "I think, as a present to myself, I will have a nap." She chuckled.

And so, the two friends said their goodbyes. Link, cake in hand, walked out the door, feeling satisfied and having grown just a little closer to his friend. Agitha, waving one last goodbye, shut the door and turned to face a crowd of bugs that had gathered, as well as a room full of part decorations. She smacked her lips, undid her pig tails, changed into her pajamas, and made way to bed.

As she lay there, the sunset softly gleaming its last rays through her window, she opened her eyes just crack, to see the carved statue her dear friend had given her earlier. Smiling, she slipped away into a gentle slumber.

* * *

Later that night, Link met with Zelda in the castle halls. It was a bright night, the halls were lit through by the light of a full moon. The castle was, as it always has been, alive with people. Servants rushing here and there, attendees attending attentively, and nobles sitting around and being haughty. It never was Link's favorite place to be.

He approached Zelda as she went about her business, signing and sealing and stamping. When the Princess, ever serious and skeptical, saw Link approach, she gave a tired sigh. He was dressed in his same green tunic, sporting a silly grin, and carrying a monstrous slice of cake. It was always something with him.

"Evening, princess." He greeted, cheerily. "I brought you something from a fan." He looked down at the cake and then back to her. Zelda eyed him and the cake coldly.

"A slice of cake." She said, neutrally. "Charming. I'll… see to it after I sign these documents, Link. Just put it over there or give it to the kitchen staff." She sighed as she returned to her work.

Link's brow furrowed as he put the cake down on her table and slid it over to her along with a small spoon. Zelda looked up at him, narrowing her gaze in response to an uncharacteristically forward act.

"One bite." The green clad hero begged. "It would mean the world to me."

Zelda sighed and rubbed her temples. Then, resigned, she lifted her spoon and took a small chunk out of the cake. Hesitantly she raised it to her mouth and ate it.

Link looked on expectantly as, Zelda chewed and swallowed. She put the spoon down on the plate and said nothing for a few moments. She looked up at Link, then back down to the cake, as if processing the events that had led to this moment in her life. Then, slowly, she stood up.

"This cake." She said, eyes wide, "It's… beautiful."

"You… You actually like it?" Link questioned, surprised.

"Link, take me to the person who made this."


End file.
